JPRS-TTP-89-004

24 MARCH 1989

O FOREIGNBROADCASTINFORMATION

SERVICE

.'PRS Report-

Aflpzved to? poulc reie&

Teleco munications

19980202 197

REPRODUCED BYU.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

NATIONAL TECHNICALINFORMATION SERVICESPRINGFIELD, VA. 22161

Telecommunications

JPRS-TTP-89-004 CONTENTS 24 MARCH 1989

AFRICA (SUB-SAHARAN)

GHANA

Kuntunse Earth Station Being Modernized[Charles Neequaye; Accra GHANAIAN TIMES, 31 Jan 89] ................................................................. I

CHINA

Zhejiang Province Improves Telecommunications [Beijing CEI Database, 23 Feb 89] ............................ 2Telecommunications Develop Rapidly in Hubei [Wuhan Hubei Provincial Service 26 Feb 89] ................... 2

EAST EUROPE

HUNGARY

AXE Switching Equipment From Ericsson To Be Introduced[Stockholm DAGENS NYHETER 8 M ar 89] ..................................................................................... 3

LATIN AMERICA

MEXICO

Ericsson Plans $20 Million Investment in 1989 [Mexico City UNOMASUNO, 1 Feb 89] ............... 4

NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

INDIA

All-India Radio To Set Up 205 New Radio Stations [Madras THE HINDU, 24 Dec 88] ................... 5Parliament Told About Cause of Satellite Failure [Delhi Radio, 28 Feb 89] ..................................... 5Space Commission Head Tells Plans for Satellite Imagery

[L.K. Sharma; Bombay THE TIMES OF INDIA, 25 Dec 88] ......................................................... 5Space Center Chief Tells of Satellite Plans [Bombay THE TIMES OF INDIA, 23 Dec 88] ........ 6Computers, Earth Stations Planned for All Districts [Madras THE HINDU, 23 Dec 88] ................... 6Orissa Television Transmitter Inaugurated 4 Mar [Delhi TV, 5 Mar 89] ......................................... 6Increase in International Telecom Traffic Planned [Bombay THE TIMES OF INDIA, 20 Jan 89] .... 7Telecommunications Commission To Be Set Up [Madras THE HINDU, 28 Jan 89] ..................... 7New Type of Maritime Telex Service Commissioned [Madras THE HINDU, 2 Feb 89] ................ 8First Optical Fiber System Inaugurated [Bombay THE TIMES OF INDIA, 24 Jan 89] .................. 8

IRAN

Abdanan Television Transmitter Rebuilt [Tehran Radio, 7 Feb 89] ................................................ 8TV, FM Transmitters Inaugurated in Kalat [Tehran Radio, 2 Mar 89] ............................................ 9QOM Telephone Network Upgraded [Tehran KA YHAN INTERNATIONAL, 12 Jan 89] ............... 9Hajjiabad District To Receive TV Programming [Tehran Radio, 21 Feb 89] .................................. 9

KUWAIT

First Phase of Telecommunication Tower Completed [Kuwait ARAB TIMES, 28 Jan 89] ................. 9GCC States Consider Acquiring Own Satellite [Kuwait ARAB TIMES, 22 Dec 89] ........................ 9

PAKISTAN

Radio, TV Program Protocol Signed With USSR [Islamabad International, 2 Mar 89] ................ 10

JPRS-TfP-89-00424 MARCH 1989 2

SAUDI ARABIA

King Fahd Satellite Telecommunications City Described [Jeddah ARAB NEWS, 22 Jan 89] ........... 10

WEST EUROPE

EUROPEAN AFFAIRS

EC Official Assesses Telecommunications Reforms[Herbert Ungerer; Brussels PROCEEDINGS OF CONFERENCE ON EUROPEANTELECOMMUNICATIONS REFORMS, 16-17 Jan 89] ................................................................ 12

Problems of TV Satellite Profitability Discussed[Jean-Pierre Jolivet; Paris L'USINE NOUVELLE, 8 Dec 88] ......................................................... 14

EC Commission Adopts Decisions on ONP, Services[Brussels EC INFORMATION MEMO, Dec 88] .............................................................................. 15

RACE Follow-Up Program Described [Yvette Cramer; Amsterdam COMPUTABLE, 18 Nov 88] .... 16EC Advisers Issue 'Strategic Audit' of RACE [Brussels EC PRESS RELEASE, 3 Feb 89] ........ 17Contracts Signed on Second Phase of RACE [Brussels EC PRESS RELEASE, 3 Feb 89] ........ 18EUTELSAT Decides on 6-Satellite Network [Chichester EURO-TELECOM, 13 Jan 89] ................. 19Eutelsat To Develop Second-Generation TV Satellites; Funds Allocated ........................................ 19

Europesat Project [Paris TELEMATIQUE MAGAZINE, Oct 88] ........................................ 19EIB Funding [Jan Schils; Amsterdam COMPUTER WORLD, 1 Nov 88] ............................. 20

CANADA

CNCP in New Bid To Offer Long-Distance Service[Angela Barnes; THE GLOBE AND MAIL, 27 Jan 89] .................................................................. 20

Tasks Facing Bureau Successor at CRTC Outlined[Adam Mayers; Toronto THE TORONTO STAR, 1 Feb 89] ......................................................... 21

FINLAND

Private Firm Applies To Compete With State Mobile Phone Net[Helsinki HELSINGIN SANOMA T, 6 Jan 89] ................................................................................ 22

Nokia To Buy Mobile Phone Microcircuits From U.S. Firm[Helsinki HELSINGIN SANOMA T, 19 Jan 89] .............................................................................. 23

Finland First Nordic Country To Use X400 Service[Helsinki HELSINGIN SANOMA T, 19 Jan 89] .............................................................................. 23

Public Data Network To Undergo Testing [Helsinki HELSINGIN SANOMA T, 19 Dec 88] ............. 24NMT-450 Mobile-Phone Network Operational Nationwide

[Helsinki HELSINGIN SANOMAT, 14 Dec 88] .............................................................................. 24

FRANCE

Aerospatiale To Furnish More Eutelsat Satellites [Paris QUOTIDIEN DE PARIS, 21-22 Jan 89] .... 24Communications Minister on TDF Satellite [Paris Radio, 21 Jan 89] ........................................... 25French R&D on Digital Processing of Video Signals

[Paris FRENCH TECHNOLOGY SURVEY, Nov 88] .................................................................... 25

PORTUGAL

New Digital Telephone System for Azores[Lisbon DIARIO DE NOTICIAS ECONOMIA, 30 Jan 89] ........................................................... 25

UNITED KINGDOM

Marconi To Investigate Laser Satellite Links [Chichester EURO-TELECOM, 13 Jan 89] ........ 25First Ultra-Wideband Fiber-Optic Microwave Link Produced

[Chichester EURO-TELECOM , 10 Feb 89] .................................................................................... 26

JPRS-TTP-89-00424 March 1989 AFRICA (SUB-SAHARAN) 1

GHANA Mr Hadjah said under the rehabilitation programmebeing carried out by Marubeni Corporation of Japan, anew diesel engine had been installed, and an automatic

Kuntunse Earth Station Being Modernized voltage regulator provided to check power fluctuations55500003 Accra GHANAIAN TIMES in English and uninterrupted power supply.31 Jan 89 p 3 He said the high power amplifier, and the television and[Article by Charles Neequaye: "Kuntunse Earth Satellite telephone transmit chains had been replaced.Repair Works Progresses"] The public relations manager said under the expansion

programme, new channels of communications to Kenya,Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia and Holland would be

[Text] The close-down of the Satellite Earth Station at installed.Kuntunse has not affected external communications, Mr

Ben Hadjah, Public Relations Manager of the P&T Besides, the corporation would introduce digital circuitsCorporation, has said. instead of analogue as intermediate digital rates, he said.

He explained that the closure on January 17 was to He said under the multiples programme, the circuitsenable rehabilitation and expansion work to be carried would be increased from 180 to 300 while there would beout. an automatic tracking system.

The P&T Corporation signed the 9.7 million JapaneseSpeaking to me in an interview in Accra yesterday, he yen agreement in last May with Marubeni Corporationsaid now that the station was not functioning the corpo- of Japan for the rehabilitation, expansion and modern-ration was channelling its external communications ization of the Kuntunse Satellite Earth Station.through Abidjan and Togo.

The 16.4 million-dollar satellite station project was firstHe said the corporation was presently using 32 instead of awarded to Spar Eurospace of Canada in 1977, but the66 circuits with Cote d'Ivoire providing 30 and Togo two company failed to complete it even though it had beenfor outgoing and incoming messages. fully paid for.

JPRS-TrP-89-00424 March 1989 CHINA 2

Zhejiang Province Improves Telecommunications Telecommunications Develop Rapidly in HubeiHK2302114589 Beijing CEI Database in English 23 HK2702053989 Wuhan Hubei Provincial ServiceFeb 89 in Mandarin 1000 GMT 26 Feb 89

[Text] Zhejiang Province has made efforts to improve itstelecommunications by making fixed assets investment [Excerpts] It has been reported from the ongoing provin-of 100 million yuan in 1988, according to the Post and cial conference on the work of posts and telecommuni-Telecommunication Administration of the Province. cations that there have been great advances in the

province's posti and telecommunications and theirIn 1988, telephones in the cities increased by 56,000 growth rate has been for the first time faster than that oflines to 280,000, and long-distance telephone increased industrial and agricultural production. Last year theby 813 lines to 4,500 lines, province witnessed successes in building optical fiber

In addition, following Hangzhou, three international telecommunications lines in Wuhan, Huangshi, Jingz-

direct exchanges have been opened in Ningbo, Wunzhou hou and Shanshi, the microwave telecommunications

and Shaoxin which can make direct calls to 156 coun- capacity reinforcement project connecting Wuhan withtries and regions. Shanghai, and the microwave telecommunications

projects in Yichang, Danyang, Shiyan, and Xiangfan.Foreign funds are being used by the province to further [passage omitted]improve telecommunications. To date, Shaoxin andWunzhou have signed contracts to introduce program-controlled switchboards capable of handling 7,000 lines Nevertheless, increasing demand for telecommunica-and 22,000 lines. Hangzhou and Spain have finished tions still exceeds supply in the province. The meetingnegotiations for utilizing a Spanish loan to install facili- stressed that continuous efforts must be made to increaseties capable of handling 50,000 lines. Hangzhou and the capacity of telecommunications and improve theShaoxin will use Japanese loans to improve its facilities. quality of telecommunications.

JPRS-TTP-89-00424 March 1989 EAST EUROPE 3

HUNGARY the installation of a new international telephone center.Hungary is the first country in the socialist bloc to

AXE Switching Equipment From Ericsson To Be introduce the Swedish AXE system. The HungarianIntroduced postal and telecommunications agency, Magyar Posta,55002453 Stockholm DAGENS NYHETER in Swedish and Ericsson have been negotiating this deal for several8 Mar 89 p 14 years. The deal has been delayed because the so-called

Cocom regulations-against the transferring of strategi-[Text] The Swedish AXE system is about to be intro- cally sensitive technology from the West to the East-duced into Hungary. Representatives of the Ericsson prohibited introducing digital technology into the EastSwedish electronics chain are now in Budapest to aid in Bloc.

JPRS-TTP-89-00424 March 1989 LATIN AMERICA 4

MEXICO This contract will provide Mexico with over 2 milionAXE-equivalent lines, thus reasserting Ericsson's lead-

Ericsson Plans $20 Million Investment in 1989 ership in Mexico as a supplier of the Public Digital55000001 Mexico City UNOMASUNO in Spanish Telephone Switching System.1 Feb 89p 19 • b. The value of the orders for telephone exchanges

and transmitting equipment for the next 2 years[Text] This year Ericsson Teleindustries plans to invest exceeds $500 million.$20 million in order to stimulate the telecommunications • c. The introduction of mobile cellular telephone ser-industry in Mexico, to increase exports, and accelerate vice, with the delivery to TELMEX (Telephones oftechnological development, the chairman of its board of Mexico) of the first mobile cellular telephone systemdirectors, Luis Antonio Chico Pardo, reported at the for use in the city of Tijuana, Baja California.company's general stockholders meeting yesterday. ° d. The agreement to install the first phase of the

superimposed network in mid-1989. With this sys-During the meeting held in the company's headquarters tem, Telephones of Mexico will be able to offer thelocated in Tlainepantia in Mexico state, Chico Pardo most up-to-date services to major telecommunica-told the stockholders that in 1988 Ericsson further tions users in cities with the largest volume of busi-improved its internal reorganization, a process which ness activity in Mexico. This is an indication of thebegan in 1982. During this process capital investments advantages of having a base of Ericsson's AXE Digitalwere made in 1983 and 1987, along with financial Telephone Exchanges installed in Mexico, nowimprovements, enabling the firm to channel greater amounting to over 1.5 million lines.resources into productive operations, primarily for tech- • e. The sustained growth in exports which has againnological renovations and the establishment of auto- increased by 150 percent. Invoicing for the 12 monthsmated production processes, making the plant more of the year came to $35 million; this was ! 6 percent ofcompetitive internationally. Ericsson's total sales.

• f. The expansion of Ericsson Teleindustries as one ofThe chairman of the board of directors pointed out that the production centers for digital computers to meetthe firm has changed the closing date of its fiscal year to the Ericsson Group's worldwide needs, making use of30 September of each year. For this reason, the 9 months the international competitiveness and efficiency of itsdiscussed in its current report are not comparable with operations.the 12-month period of the preceding fiscal year. At the general stockholders meeting, which was alsoOn the subject of the company's development during attended by the firm's CEO, Raimo Lindgren, Chicothis 9-month fiscal period, he noted that sales came to a Pardo stated that in its commitment to Mexico, Ericssontotal of 307.261 billion pesos. The operating results were Teleindustries is working on innovative plans to stimu-37.575 billion pesos, while net earnings came to 55.643 late the industrial development of Mexican telecommu-billion pesos, with a profit of 186.09 pesos per share. nications, to increase exports, accelerate technological

development, and most of all, to make the best possibleHe told the stockholders that the period under discus- use of the base of digital systems already installed in thesion had certainly marked a new era of advances for network, while moving toward the new concepts ofEricsson. Among other significant achievements, he intelligent networks.cited the following:

In concluding his speech, he reported that in order for• a. The signing of a very large contract for 1990, in which the company to meet its goals, during the present year

the firm has agreed to deliver 429,000 telephone lines. Ericsson will invest $20 million.

JPRS-TTP-89-00424 March 1989 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA 5

INDIA Mrs Sudha Bhatia, Superintending Engineer AIR,Madras, who welcomed the gathering, said the seminar

All-India Radio To Set Up 205 New Radio was being organized as part of the Madras station'sStations golden jubilee celebrations.55500043 Madras THE HINDU in English24 Dec 88 p 10 Mr T. Rajagopalan, Station Engineer, AIR, Madras, who

proposed a vote of thanks, said it was through such[Text] All India Radio will set up 205 stations in the interface with technical personnel that AIR would havecountry be the end of the seventh Plan and it is now purposeful interaction with listeners.self-reliant in planning, operating and maintaining theradio broadcasting system, according to Mr S.P. Bhati-kar, Engineer-in-Chief, AIR. There are now 96 AIR Parliament Told About Cause of Satellite Failurestations, reaching about 600 million domestic listeners. BK2802092689 Delhi Domestic Service

in English0830 GMT 28 Feb 89Inaugurating a seminar on 'Broadcasting: 50 years oftechnical development and future horizons," organized [Text] The failure analysis committee on the unsuccess-by AIR, Madras, Mr Bhatikar said there was rapid ful mission of ASLV-2D [Augmented Satellite Launchdevelopment in electronics and AIR had to reshape its Vehicle] has said that the mission failed [on 13 Julyrequirements to keep pace with this development. The 1988] due to the break up of the upper portion of thefour AIR stations in Madras, Calcutta, Bombay and vehicle 50.4 seconds after liftoff. The minister of stateDelhi would have the latest stereo recording equipment. for science and technology and space, Mr K.R. Naraya-Earlier, direct broadcasting accounted for a major por- nan, said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today thattion of AIR's programmes. But 90 per cent of the the expert review panel is also independently examiningprogrammes broadcast today were now recorded and all the data to find the exact cause of the ASLV failure.recording continued to be an area of weakness. Special He said the findings of the expert panel are still awaited.acoustic designs were being worked out for the multi-channel recording studios to be installed at the fourmetropolitan centers. Space Commission Head Tells Plans for Satellite

ImageryCompact discs: AIR would also go in for compact discs 55500046 Bombay THE TIMES OF INDIA in Englishas the conventional vinyl discs (viz gramophone records) 25 Dec 88 p 11had become scarce.

This posed a great difficulty for AIR since it was depen- [Article by L.K. Sharma]

dent on gramophone discs for broadcasting commercialmusic. Technical considerations precluded the possibil- [Text] A major new programme to continue and enhanceity of using commercially available cassette-tapes for remote-sensing facilities has been approved by the spacebroadcasting. Hence, the decision to produce the com- commission which has promoted several regional centersmercial music on compact discs and compact disc play- for popularizing the use of the satellite imagery for theers were being procured. From January 1, 1989, several management of natural resources.stations would record music on digital tapes and theywould switch over later to compact discs. Two new remote-sensing satellites, IRS IC and IRS LD,

are to follow the second remote-sensing satellite IRS LBCenters of excellence: Mr Bhatikar said AIR would set which is to be launched in 1991.up centers of excellence for programme production inthe Eighth Plan, producing high quality music and Prof U.R. Rao, chairman of the space commission, tolddrama and compact discs. These centers would have reporters today that the next two remote-sensing satel-nothing to do with transmission. Right now, there were lites would have better spatial resolution and wereno microwave links from the outside broadcasting vans expected to be launched in 1193 and 1995.to the studios. AIR would acquire self-contained mobiletransmitters for disseminating news from accident-sites. India has not shown any interest in putting a newFlood-ravaged areas, etc. It would procure four trans- generation sensing device on a Soviet remote-sensingportable uplink terminals (TRACTS) for coverage of satellite since such a facility was being offered on com-news and special events from remote locations. mercial terms and not as a joint development project.

Cable replacement: The underground cables at the exist- India has started developmental work on microwaveing AIR stations were being replaced in a phased man- remote-sensing, but as yet has no plans to build anner. AIR would have its own studio-transmitter links for operational satellite with the capability of see-throughfuture projects, including the Seventh Plan projects. The cloud cover. As a preparatory step, it has been decided tolatest, high-quality microphones were being introduced buy microwave satellite imagery from the Europeanin the network, he added. space agency when its satellite starts transmitting this.

JPRS-TTP-89-00424 March 1989 6 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

A new unit will be added to the satellite earth station ISRO officials hinted that it could not be attributed to thenear Hyderabad which was at present equipped to get failure of the first stage motor as it was initially made out.data from Landsat and spot satellites. The Indian centerwas supplying some neighboring countries also. The project director of the INST 2 test spacecraft

project, Mr P. Ramachandran, said that the presentThe data utilization within the country had picked up trend was to standardize the spacecraft systems forand significant results had been shown in the areas of reasons of large quantity production, easy replacement,forestry, water management and groundwater prospect- economy and smaller lead times. The cost of a spacecrafting, snowmelt studies, tracing of mineral resources and was Rs 40 crore, he said.oil, agriculture and drought management.

Mr P. Radhakrishnan, head electronics division, VikramIn the field of communications, the current anxiety over Sarabhai Space Centre, said that the PSLV would have athe Insat capacity would be over when the Insat LD is half-a-dozen on-board computers with a provision forlaunched by the American Delta rocket in April or May redundancy.next year. The anxiety has been caused by the partialcrippling of the Insat IC launched by Ariane. Mr K. Narayanan, director, satellite communication

programme, ISRO, said that future INSAT systemsAs for the launch vehicles, according to Prof Rao, the fault would be used for satellite news gathering, services foranalysis report on the failure of the last augmented satellite specific groups and expanding disaster warning services.launch vehicle (ASLV) was expected soon. The high-levelexpert committee was keen to hear the views of those who Computers, Earth Stations Planned for Allhad any theories of the failure of the vehicle. Districts

55500044 Madras THE HINDU in EnglishThe work on the next general PSLV, polar satellite 23 Dec 88 p 16launch vehicle, was proceeding satisfactorily, he said.

[Text] The National Informatics Centre (NIC) of theSpace Center Chief Tells of Satellite Plans Planning Commission, expects to set up "one computer55500045 Bombay THE TIMES OF INDIA in English and one earth station," by March 1989, in all its 44123 Dec 88 p 10 districts under the Nationwide Computerized Decision

Support Information System (NICNET).[Text] The development of the polar satellite launchvehicle (PSLV) is progressing on schedule and its launch This was stated here by Dr N. Seshagiri, NIC, Director-in 1990 can precede that of the third augmented satellite General at a seminar on "technology spin-off fromlaunch vehicle (ASLV), Dr S.C. Gupta, the director of electronics in space, atomic energy and defence." HeVikram Sarabhai Space Centre, said here on Tuesday. said 300 districts had been provided with an earth

station each with a four-level, hierarchic data bases andIn an informal talk with reporters at a seminar on random access communication. Of this 150 had com-"electronics in space", he said, that the schedule of menced operation.PSLV's development and launch was not affected by thetwo failures of the ASLV. The PSLV, to be launched The technology adopted for the communication systemfrom the Sriharikota launch complex near Madras, will is the spread spectrum multiple access in the place of theplace a 1000-kilogram satellite in a 900-kilometer sun- usual time division multiple access technology.synchronous orbit. The seminar has been organized by"Electronics Today". This new innovation was being implemented by the joint

company formed by the ITI and the Equatorial Inc. U.S.Referring to the recent failure of the ASLV, he said, thatan internal committee of the Indian Space Research A crash programme was being launched by the NIC to setOrganization (ISRO), of which he was the chairman, had up 55 such earth stations for NICNET in the next onefinished its report. The external expert review panel, month. In addition to NICNET nodes, the NIC wouldheaded by the director of the National Aeronautical put up earth stations for various other agencies.Laboratory (NAL), Dr Roddam Narasimha, wasexpected to submit its report in about a fortnight. Orissa Television Transmitter Inaugurated 4 Mar

BK0603015489 Delhi Doordarshan TelevisionThe other members of the external committee were the Networkin English 1600 GMT 5 Mar 89director of the defence research and development labo-ratory. Dr Abdul Kalam, and Dr Valluri, an aeronautical [Text] In Orissa, a low-power TV transmitter has becomeexperts, he said. operational at Phulbani. The minister of information

and broadcasting, Mr H.K.L. Bhagat, inaugurated theHe said the data obtained of the 150 seconds of ASLV's transmitter yesterday. This is the 11 th TV transmitter inflight proved useful for the investigations. Though he the state. The transmitter will benefit nearly 1.5 lakhdeclined to comment on the cause of the failure, other people in the tribal-dominated districts.

JPRS-TfP-89-00424 March 1989 7 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

Increase in International Telecom Traffic Planned where foreigners would be able to pay for international55500050 Bombay THE TIMES OF INDIA in English calls in their own currency by dialling certain abbrevi-20 Jan 89 p 6 ated numbers and reaching their home country's opera-

tor directly.[Text] The Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (VSN) is plan-ning to increase its, international telecom traffic and Telecommunications Commission To Be Set Upreduce costs by modernising its equipment. 55500048 Madras THE HINDU in English

Delineating its growth pattern, Mr T.H. Chowdary, 28 Jan 89 p I

chairman and managing director, VSN, said here on [Text] The Union Cabinet has approved the setting up ofTuesday that by March 31 this year VSN will have over a Telecommunications Commission with adequate1,900 international telephone circuits, thereby doubling autonomy and flexibility to handle all matters relating toits traffic capacity since VSN's inception three years ago. that sector. With this the Telecommunications Board,

running the Department of Telecommunication, will beReferring to Bombay, Mr Chowdary said that 52.5 per abolished.

cent of international telephone circuits (901) and 57.5

per cent of international telex circuits (158) operate from The decision to constitute the Telecommunicationsthe city. Commission has been taken in pursuance of the recom-In November last, VSN commissioned an international mendations made by the Science Advisory Council tog a pthe Prime Minister. The Council, in its report submittedgateway packet switching system (GPSS) in Bombay in July 1988, had proposed such a commission as anwhich enables 4,000 data bases in the world to commu-nicate with each other. Early this year it commissioned apex policy and regulatory body with full financial and

an earth station which works through the Atlantic Ocean administrative powers and with the responsibility ofregion satellite enabling Indian traffic to be received modernising the telecom equipment and services in asdirectly on the east coast of USA from where it can go its short time as possible.specific destination in America. An official spokesman told presspersons here today that

The VSN's existing two earth stations at Arvi (near Pune) the proposed commission will have authority similar toand Dehradun were working through the Indian Ocean the Railway Board. It will have a Chairman and four fullregion satellite and could carry traffic only up to Europe. time members all of the rank of Secretary to the Gov-This addition has reduced cost by nearly 50 per cent. ernment. Besides it will have as part-time members

Secretaries to the Department of Industrial Develop-Videsh Sanchar's fourth gateway will be commissioned at ment, Department of Electronics, Ministry of FinanceCalcutta and will start operating by the end of this year. and the Ministry of Planning. The Chairman and the

full-time members will have a minimum tenure of threeThe VSN will also be converting its analogue circuits to years to ensure continuity, accountability, and smoothdigital circuits to further cut down on cost by eliminating and efficient working. The Commission will report to thethe switchover to digital microwave radio links at the Minister of Communications.international level, Mr Chowdary said. Not adequate: The spokesman said that the GovernmentIn the maritime world, a Rs 16-crore coast earth station felt that the Telecommunication board was not adequatewill be commissioned through which international mari- to meet the growing telecom needs. The Chairman andtime circuits can be established. At present ships are using the full-time members of the new Commission may beJapanese or Norwegian earth stations which turn out to be drawn from among the best talent available in the publicmore expensive and incur loss of foreign exchange. and the private sectors including from within the depart-

ment. As per the work allocation, one full-time memberAn interesting facility to be provided by the VSN will be will be in charge of technology, production, finance andthe electronic telex and voice mail-box where interna- services respectively. The Commission, when set up, willtional telex or telephonic messages can be stored till the take over the legal and statutory authority, vested in theowner returns and uncodes them. The mail-box number Telecommunication Board.could be displayed on the owner's visiting card. The telexmail-box will be test marketed before March this year, The Commission, approved by the Union Cabinet onMr Chowdary said. The voice mail-box will be intro- January 25, will be the nodal agency for developingduced in September. telecom system and related industry. All applications for

industrial licence, foreign collaborations, import of cap-The VSN will also be introducing credit card calls facility ital goods and other equipment, etc., connected withwhich will enable the credit card holders to pay for telecommunications, will be approved only on recom-international calls through their credit cards. mendation by this Commission.

A most helpful service to be introduced will be the The administrative control of C-DoT [Center for theinternational operator direct connection service (IODC) Development of Telematics] will be transferred from the

JPRS-TTP-89-00424 March 1989 8 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

Department of Electronics to the Commission. Besides, and it has a high networking availability with highwireless planning and coordination will also be placed reliability and error-free performance.under its control.

Mr. Hiregange said the Department of Telecommunica-Since the Chairman of the new Commission will be of tions had drawn up a five year modernisation plan. Thethe rank of a Secretary, speculations about Mr. Sam Department was trying out electronic machines and trialPitroda, an adviser to the Prime Minister, taking up the orders had been placed for electronic key-boards forposition was set at rest as he now enjoys the status of a telegraph offices in rural area.Minister of State.

Fax service: He said the Fax service would be extendedHuge wait list for phones: As of September 1988, over 12 to cover all the important towns and 300 stations wouldlakh persons were in the waiting list for telephone be set up by the year end.connections. The waiting list for telex connection was3,400. Moreover, the quality of the services, according to Mr. S. Muthuswamy, General Manager, Maintenance,the spokesman, was not good. He said official estimates said the Maritime Telex Service was being introduced onindicated the demand for telephone to go up to 19 a semi-automatic basis.millions by the year 2000. To achieve this objective andother requirements, the annual growth rate in the tele- Mr. P. Kameswara Rao, General Manager, Project, saidcom sector will have to be stepped from the present the NBDP equipment had been procured from Japan. Itseven to eight per cent to 15 to 16 per cent. had been installed four months ago and for the last two

months it was under trial.

New Type of Maritime Telex Service First Optical Fiber System InauguratedCommissioned 55500049 Bombay THE TIMES OF INDIA in English55500047 Madras THE HINDU in English 24 Jan 89 p 132 Feb 89 p 3

[Excerpt] The Union minister of state for communica-[Text] A Maritime Telex Service, using Narrow Band tions, Mr Giridhar Gomango, inaugurated the country'sDirect Printing (NBDP) system, the first of its kind in first long-distance optical fibre communication systemthe country, was commissioned today at the Central between Ahmedabad and Baroda, here today.Telegraph Office by Mr N.R. Hiregange, Member, Tele-com Operation, Department of Telecommunications. Mr Gomango said similar optical fibre routes would

shortly be commissioned between Bombay, Udaipur viaMr. Hiregange made a call to M.V. Tamil Anna sailing Ahmedabad, Bombay-Pune and Bhopal and it was650 nautical miles north east of Madras coast. planned to increase telephone connections to 95 lakhs by

the end of eighth plan from the present 40 lakhs in theThe service can be used to contact ships located up to a country.distance of 10,000 kin, and telex calls can be madebetween ships with NBDP equipment. Any telex sub- The Rs 3-crore project for laying 125 km of optical fibresscriber in India or abroad can make use of the system. with three intermediate stations at Kheda, Nadiad and

Anand was executed in record period. [passage omitted]Ships or telex subscribers can get in touch with the controloperators at the Madras CTO [Central Telegraph Office] IRANfor establishing communication. Facilities are also avail-able for storage of messages for onward transmission at Abdanan Television Transmitter Rebuiltany required time. The system uses high frequencies for LD0702113389 Tehran Domestic Servicecontacting ships and it is provided with Automatic in Persian 1030 GMT 7 Feb 89Request for Repetition feature for error-free service.

[Text] The reconstruction of Abdanan's television trans-Available facilities: The telex machines at the coastal mitter, which had been severely damaged during thestation have been provided with facilities including course of the imposed war, has been completed. Thefloppy storing, message storing, automatic forwarding of station was reopened today in the presence of Mrmessages at pre-set time and also a video display unit for Hashemi, the director- general of the Islamic Republic ofbetter supervision. Iran's Voice and Vision [IRIVV].

A transmitting station at Meenambedu and a receiving The technical deputy of the IRIVV told the Central Newsstation at Ennore are connected to the coastal station Unit's correspondent that the Abdanan television station,through Ultra High Frequency links and coaxial cables. which has been rebuilt at a cost of 100 million rials-

consisting of foreign exchange and rials-will provisionallyThe system can transmit printed communication broadcast the programs of the television's first network.between any ship and any subscriber in India or abroad We hope that by rebuilding the station, we may be able to

JPRS-TTP-89-00424 March 1989 9 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

reinstall the technical equipment required to transmit satellite system, the inhabitants of (?Sarked-e Ahmadi)UHF, VHF, and four FM channels. He added that with region in Hajjiabad in Bandar-e 'Abbas and the nearbythis station, parts of Lorestan, Khuzestan, and Ilam Prov- villages will, from now on, be able to receive the firstinces will hopefully come under the cover of television's television network programs for the first time on Chan-first network. nel 10.

TV, FM Transmitters Inaugurated in Kalat KUWAITLD0203121389 Tehran Domestic Servicein Persianl1030 GMT 2 Mar 89 First Phase of Telecommunication Tower[Excerpt] Powerful television and FM transmitters in CompletedKalat, in Khorasan, began transmission at noon today 55004513 Kuwait ARAB TIMES in Englishwith a ceremony. The transmitter brings the northern 28 Jan 89 p 4part of the country, comprising the frontier strip ofKhorasan Province, extending from Sarakhs to Daragaz, [Text] The first phase of a $90 million telecommunica-under the cover of the first and second networks of the tion tower has been completed and the second and lastVision of the Islamic Republic of Iran. phase will be completed by the end of March, Kuwaiti

Minister of Public Works 'Abd al-Rahman al-Huti hasThe Kalat television transmitter, installed on the summit said.of (Zor) mountains, covers a site of 8,000 sq meters. Totalbuilding area covers a site base of 1,000 sq meters. The Following an on site inspection of the downtown facilityKalat television station consists of two 10-kw television Thursday the minister told KUNA the 375 metre hightransmitters and two 10-kw FM radio transmitters. They tower is one of the world's unique towers and that it willhave been installed and brought on line through the efforts be used not only by the Ministry of Communication butof the expansion unit of the television network. For each also by the Ministries of Interior and Information.one of the transmitters a reserve transmitter of 10-kwcapacity is being considered. [passage omitted] A revolving restaurant is being built on the tower at an

altitude of 170 metres, Al'Huti said.Qom Telephone Network Upgraded55004704 Tehran KA YHAN INTERNATIONAL The minister referred to some difficulties facing thein English 12 Jan 89 p 6 construction of this tower attributing them to the very

nature of the project and the technicalities involved.[Text] Coinciding with the eleventh anniversary of anuprising by the people of Qom (9 January 1978), a Asked about his reaction to the completion of the tower's5,000-line automatic telecommunication center was first phase, AI-Huti expressed satisfaction indicating thatinaugurated and switched into service, the Islamic an accurate judgement on the work could be passedRepublic News Agency said Tuesday. unless and until the project was finalised.

The inauguration ceremony was held in the presence of The minister called for more co-operation between theMinister of Post, Telephone and Telegraph Muhammad parties executing the project, the Ministry of PublicGharazi as well as a number of religious and government Works and the contractor and the consultant engineeringofficials, bureau "in order to overcome all difficulties."

Referring to telecommunication facilities in the country GCC States Consider Acquiring Own Satellitebefore the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the minister 55004512 Kuwait ARAB TIMES in Englishof P.T.T. said some 800,000 telephone lines had been 22 Dec 88 p 4installed whereas during the post-revolution period thetotal capacity has been increased to 2.4 million lines. [Text] Bahraini Information Minister Tariq al Mu'ayyid

said the Gulf Co-operation Council states are consider-Gharazi outlined the future plans of his ministry and ing the acquisition of a satellite of their own.announced that 1.6 million new telephone lines will beavailable nationally during the next five years. Al Mu'ayyid, told a local daily today that half of the

capacity of the Arab satellite (ARABSAT), since it wasHajjiabad District To Receive TV Programming launched, has not been used.LD2102165289 Tehran Domestic Servicein PersianO730 GMT 21 Feb 89 He added that the idea of launching satellites is also

being considered by a number of Arab states and this[Text] The television transmitter in the Hajjiabad Dis- trend must be encouraged.trict in Bandar-e 'Abbas was commissioned. Accordingto a Central News Unit report, with the commissioning Discussing the Gulf television transmission, the Bah-of this lOw transmitter, which will operate by way of the raini minister said that he was always against the idea of

JPRS-TTP-89-00424 March 1989 10 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

one unified Gulf TV. He would like to see variety and 21-member group of exhibitors who participated in thecompetitive TV stations to enable Gulf inhabitants to just-concluded Commtel and Middle East Computing'89choose what interests them. exhibition during a visit to the city at Jeddah-Umm

al-Salam organized by Al-Harithi Company for Exhibi-Replying to a question on Gulf information co-opera- tions Ltd. last week.tion, al Mu'ayyid indicated such cooperation existed along time ago and was first embodied when the Gulf Addressing the visitors, Engineer Bakr Qadduri ofCo-operation Council was established. KFSTC explained the operations of the city and its

development since its inauguration by the Custodian ofIn this context, he expressed hope that a meeting for the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd in July 1987. Withowners of Gulf newspapers (private press) be convened the continuous progress of the satellite communicationbefore the end of the year to discuss media co-ordination, network worldwide which has enabled transmission of

TV programs and telephone contact among nations, the"I have agreed with the GCC Secretariat to call for a first introduction of a new service on board the aircraft of themeeting of media editors to discuss coordination on Kingdom's national airline in line with certain worldbasic journalistic matters," the minister told the Bah- airlines seems to be a distinct possibility in future, heraini daily AKHBAR AL-KHALIJ. added.

"It is not enough that (GCC) information ministers agree An audio-visual show held on the occasion gave anon the charter of media owners ... There should be an insight into the operations of KFSTC, described as theexchange of feeling between the press and information largest satellite communications complex in the Middleministers on how to implement these pacts," he said. East and one of less than 200 worldwide.

"We feel there is a possibility of achieving this (GCC It is situated along the expressway between Jeddah andpact) as a true desire to co-operate exists in the Gulf Mecca. Technical engineer Husayn Sha'lan conductedpress," he added. the group around the satellite city which occupies an areaThe GCC, which groups Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, in excess of one million square meters and consists ofThed GCCia whicthe gr s BAraib Kwait, Oan, Qapitcar, four earth stations with their antennae, a main buildingSaudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in a political cotingheotrletradmngmntofesa

and economic alliance, is due to hold its 1988 summit in containing the control center and management offices, a

Bahrain in mid-December. mosque, housing villas, and back-up electrical powerturbine generators.

PAKISTAN The city is connected with the Kingdom's public tele-

Radio, TV Program Protocol Signed With USSR communications network primarily by a state-of-the-artBK0203092489 Islamabad Overseas Service cable system employing the latest transmission technol-in English0800 GMT 2 Mar 89 ogy. A digital microwave system forms a back-up link. It

offers enhanced facilities that supplement the three[Text] Pakistan and the Soviet Union today signed a existing earth stations in Riyadh.protocol for cooperation and exchanges in the field of TVand radio broadcasting during 1989-90. It provides for The city's four satellite earth stations consist of two toexchange of TV and radio programs depicting social, communicate with Intelsat, one with Arabsat and onescientific, cultural, and sporting aspects in both countries. with Inmarsat, the last being for marine, air and mobileBoth sides agreed to cooperate in covering the visits of telecommunication. Besides serving the Kingdom'sPakistani and Soviet delegations to the USSR and Paki- needs, these facilities enable the Kingdom to providestan and to exchange TV and radio programs for appro- international transit services. As a result, the Kingdompriate use on the national days of the two countries. The has become the world's fifth largest user of satellitetwo sides shall exchange TV news stories and radio pro- telecommunication facilities, according to a booklet ongrams on the life of the Soviet and Pakistani people well as the city brought out by the Ministry of Posts, Telegraphsrecordings of instrumental and folk music. and Telephones (PTT).

SAUDI ARABIA According to technical details provided, the Arabsatearth station is the major telecommunications link with

King Fahd Satellite Telecommunications City the other countries of the Arabsat Organization. TheDescribed station has a capacity of 850 circuits in addition to55000451 Jeddah ARAB NEWS in English television reception and transmission facilities. The22 Jan 89 p 2 antenna is 11 meters in diameter.

[Article by K. S. Ramkumar, Arab News Staff: "Satellite The Intelsat earth station for Atlantic Ocean satellitesCity Facilities Explained to Delegates"] (Jeddah 4) is the means of communicating with countries

in the Atlantic Ocean region. Its capacity is 1,400 tele-[Text] The gigantic progress made by King Fahd Satellite phone circuits in addition to television transmission andTelecommunications City (KFSTC) was viewed by a reception facilities. The antenna is 32 meter in diameter.

JPRS-TYP-89-00424 March 1989 11 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

The Intelsat earth station for Indian Ocean satellites is linked to the Inmarsat satellite over the Indian Ocean(Jeddah 5) helps communications with countries in the and has an initial capacity of 12 telephone and 22 telexIndian Ocean region. Its capacity is 1,300 telephone circuits, which may be expanded. The antenna is 13circuits in addition to television transmission and recep- meters in diameter.tion facilities. The antenna is 32 meters in diameter.

The group tour was organized by AI-Harithi companyThrough the Inmarsat station, communications are pos- which arranged the exhibition through the courtesy andsible with marine vessels, aircraft and mobile vehicles cooperation of the Ministry of PTT which activelyvia the public telecommunications network. The station supported and participated in the event.

JPRS-TTP-89-00424 March 1989 WEST EUROPE 12

EUROPEAN AFFAIRS particularly in the telecommunications terminal andservices field;

EC Official Assesses Telecommunications • Second, that since regulatory changes are in any caseReforms underway in all member-states, there is a role for theAN890067 Brussels PROCEEDINGS OF Community in developing a common understandingCONFERENCE ON EUROPEAN concerning the European context of this evolvingTELECOMMUNICATIONS REFORMS in English picture;16-17 Jan 89pp 1-8 • Third, that with December 1992 approaching fast, the

Community needs to agree without delay on common[Paper presented by Herbert Ungerer, department head orientations at the European level, with a wellin the Telecommunications Policy Directorate (DG planned time schedule for implementing the neces-XIII) of the EC Commission, at the Conference on sary measures; andEuropean Telecommunications Reforms in Brussels, • Fourth, that the Community-wide market must beBelgium on 16 January 1989: "Unique Dynamics of based on Community-wide network integrity, built onIntegrating the European Telecommunications Market an intensification of cooperation between the Tele-Into a Single Market"] communications Administrations for the coordinated

introduction of networks and services.[Text] It is almost one year now since the EuropeanCommission published its plans for implementing the Based on this foundation of consensus, the Commis-Green Paper on the development of the Common Mar- sion's timetable for completing the internal market forket for telecommunications services and equipment. telecommunications focuses on the following four areas:Already we have made substantial progress with thoseplans. We have stuck to the timetable, and are oncourse--on course not only for reaching our 1992 goals, A. First, the rapid full opening to competition of thebut reaching them by 1992! terminal equipment market by 31 December 1990 at the

latest. Acting under its mandate for EC competition law,I am sure that with the distinguished audience present the Commission issued a directive in May 1988 based onthere is no need for me to go into great detail regarding Article 90 of the Treaty of Rome. This directive isthe contents of the Commission's June 1987 Green currently the subject of an appeal to the European CourtPaper'. Indeed, the broad lines of the Green Paper are of Justice from the French Government for its partialbecoming increasingly well known even outside the withdrawal, an appeal which was joined subsequently byranks of telecoms specialists. But it is nevertheless Belgium, Italy, and the Federal Republic of Germany.important to be aware of the extent of the very broad The substantive point which I would want to stress inconsultation process which followed its publication, relation to this is that there is no disagreement on theIndeed, it was the success of this consultation process in substance of the directive--only on the technicality ofcreating consensus around proposals for the implemen- which article should be used to achieve the commonlytation of the broad thrust of the Green Paper which laid agreed objectives. It is also worth explaining that duringthe foundation for the Commission publishing last Feb- appeal, the directive remains in force. The Commis-ruary, its specific proposals for the implementation of sion's deadline remains-to complete the internal mar-the Green Paper, along with a detailed timetable2 . ket for telecommunications terminal equipment by the

end of 1990.These proposals were subsequently approved-unani-mously-by the EC Council of Ministers, representing B. The second main area for Community action toall member-states of the European Community, meeting complete the internal market for telecommmunicationsin June 1988-the first anniversary of the Green Paper's is in services, where we have announced the progressiveappearance. In adopting its Resolution on the Develop- opening of the market to competition from 1989ment of the Common Market for Telecommunications onwards, with all services other than voice, telex andServices and Equipment up to 1992, that Council gave the data communications to be opened by 31 December ofgreen light to the Green Paper. this year. Two important and complementary decisions

have been adopted: the first to ensure respect for com-Consensus petition rules and the other for the harmonization of

access conditions to the telecoms networks, known asThe wide-ranging debate over the future arrangements Open Network Provision, or "ONP." The first movefor telecommunications, which the Green Paper aims to open up to competition the markets in telecom-launched and facilitated, established broad consensus on munications services-consultation on the proposedfour fundamentals: measures are now underway. On the other hand, the EC

has adopted a proposal for a Council directive based onFirst, that technological changes are making regula- Article 100A, which establishes the framework for thetory change an inevitability-not an optional extra; definition of harmonized conditions for free access toand that the Community must therefore move and use of the public telecoms infrastructure and oftowards a more competition-oriented environment, public telecoms services-that is, for Open Network

JPRS-TfP-89-00424 March 1989 13 WEST EUROPE

Provision, ONP. These two measures represent impor- public comment-taking account of some criticism intant steps forward in the implementation of the propos- this respect voiced in the past;als contained in the European Commission's GreenPaper. 3. Third, the proposal in the Green Paper for the

creation of a European Telecommunications StandardsC. The third main area for completing the internal Institute (ETSI) has already resulted in a major reform ofmarket is in satellite receive-only dishes not connected to the standards-setting process in the sector. ETSI wasthe public network. The market for such satellites is to be established in April 1988, based in Sophia-Antipolisfully opened by 31 December of this year, under the near Nice;provisions of the terminal directive.

4. Fourth, Value-Added Tax is to be applied to allD. The last of these four main areas for completing the Telecommunications Administrations by 1 Januaryinternal market concerns the progressive implementa- 1990 at the latest;tion of the general principle that tariffs should followoverall cost trends. The Council, in its June 1988 Reso- 5. Fifth is the need for guidelines for the application oflution, made clear that Telecommunications Adminis- competition rules to the telecommunications sector, totrations will have to move towards a greater cost orien- ensure fair market conditions for all market participants;tation for tariffs. There will then be a review of the extentto which this has been achieved by 1 January 1992. I 6. And last but not least comes the opening of the publicwould add, however, that the achievement of this aim telecommunications operators' procurement procedures.will not need rely solely on regulatory actions, since there The Commission submitted a proposal for a directive inare already international trends in competition pushing October 1988, for a progressive opening of such procure-in this direction of cost-orientation. The Commission is ment markets to bidders from other member-states,therefore confident that combined with a clear expres- aiming to reach 100 percent open procurement marketssion of political will at Community and national level, by 1992. The aim is thus to eliminate any undue-andthis will initiate a dynamic movement towards reaching hence discriminatory-influence on these procurementour cost-orientation objectives, decisions.

Action is, of course, being pursued on a number of otherfronts, of which I will briefly mention six: WATT-C

1. First, the principle of having a clear separation of So much for the European market, on which I wasregulatory and operational activities is by now generally invited to talk. I cannot finish, however, without sayingrecognized and integrated in all the various member- just a few words on the global context of all this, and instates' reform projects. In addition, the Commission particular on the recent ITU World Administrativedirective on competition for terminal equipment Telegraph and Telephone Conference (the WATT-C).requires the separation of terminal equipment approval Indeed, the need for Community solidarity with regardauthorities from the Administrations; to the major international issues affecting telecommuni-

cations is central to the success of the internal market,2. Second is the detailed definition of Open Network and has been seen as such since the appearance of theProvision, initially to cover access to leased lines, public Green Paper, through the resulting consultation processdata networks and ISDN. The resolution adopted by the and up to the Council's Resolution of June 1988. TheCouncil in June 1988 put the point as follows, and I preparatory work for WATT-C certainly demonstratedquote: just how difficult a process the working out of such

common positions can be. But equally, the final results"Rapid definition, by Council directives, of technical of the conference demons'rated that all member-statesconditions, usage conditions and tariff principles for now recognize their basic common interest in the tele-Open Network Provision, starting with harmonized con- communications area.ditions for the use of leased lines, is of crucial impor-tance and closely linked with the creation of an open The new International Telecommunications Regulationscommon market for non-reserved telecommunications were adopted and the Final Acts signed in December.services." This was the first time that the Community as such

participated in an ITU Conference-perhaps the mostAs already mentioned in relation to opening up the complex such conference in the ITU's 120-year history.services market, a first Framework Directive was sub- The final text is a painstakingly worked-out compromisemitted to the EC Council of Ministers in December, and accepted by all-albeit no doubt with varying degrees ofthis will be followed by further directives according to satisfaction. But certainly, not only did all twelve mem-progress in working out harmonized access and usage ber-states sign, but this was accompanied by the submis-conditions for the individual areas. An important con- sion of a joint declaration stating that they will all applysideration will be ensuring user and industry input into the regulations in accordance with their obligationsthe process, as well as ensuring full opportunity for under the EEC Treaty.

JPRS-TrP-89-00424 March 1989 14 WEST EUROPE

Conclusion year for a 10-year lease. Only Seven, the Europeancultural channel, and the Bundespost have expressed an

In conclusion, I would stress that the Commission's work interest. France Telecom's participation in TDF1 capi-in implementing the Green Paper must be viewed tal, which will make it possible to finance the Frenchagainst the wider background of the move of the Euro- direct TV broadcast satellite system, has not resolvedpean Community towards an area without internal fron- matters. The stumbling block is economic reality.tiers in Europe by 1992 in which the free movement ofgoods, persons, services and capital will be ensured. Enter the valiant Andre Rousselet, president and chair-

man of Canal Plus. In a recent letter to CommunicationsThe Commission's study of the Economics of 1992' Minister Catherine Tasca, who is in charge of program-confirmed that the development of the Common Market ming, he applied for the job of operating two of thefor telecommunications services and equipment now TDFI satellite channels. The first would relay Canalpromises major savings to the economy along with Plus, a program powerhouse with 2.8 million subscribersimproved competitiveness. From a combined equip- and a potential 350,000 more not currently served by thement and services market of around ECU 80 billion in Canal Plus network. The second would be used by athe EC, gains of up to ECU 10 billion are there to be German- and American-backed service targeting Westrealized from the Green Paper proposals. Germany. Rousselet has also been negotiating to get

Caisse des Depots to apply for a youth-oriented serviceThat is our objective. And we are on target. combining Canal J and Canal Plus.

Astra's promoters, Societe Europeene de Satellites (SES)Footnotes [European Satellite Company], are betting on offering a

large number of channels. The idea is to undercut annual1. "Towards a Dynamic European Economy-Green lease rates on the government-operated Telecom 1 andPaper on the Development of the Common Market for Eutelsat. So far 9 out of 16 channels have been leased: 5 byTelecommunications Services and Equipment," Rupert Murdoch's Sky Television, 2 by British publisherCOM(87) 290, Brussels, June 1987. VH Smith, and 2 by the Scandinavian Scansat. Britisher

Robert Maxwell is said to be about to lease two or three2. "Towards a Competitive Community-Wide Telecom- others.munications Market in 1992-Implementing the GreenPaper," COM(88) 48, Brussels, February 1988. However, with the not-very-successful Societe Europeene

de Satellites campaign to find German operators in high3. "The Economics of 1992-An Assessment of the gear, some are beginning to question the optimism ofPotential Effects of Completing the Internal Market of Astra's promoters. Andrea Caruso, general director ofthe European Community," March 1988. Eutelsat, a consortium of 26 government postal, telephone,

and telegraph administrations, unhesitatingly predictsProblems of TV Satellite Profitability Discussed that, without the support of the government of Luxem-55002438 Paris, L'USINE NOUVELLE bourg, the Astra satellite will have a hard time turning ain French8 Dec 88 p 29 profit. At France Telecom, they are talking about audacity.

[Article by Jean-Pierre Jolivet: "Television Satellites: Each player in the as yet undefined telecom market isProfitability Impossible"; first paragraph is L'USINE trying to corner direct television broadcasting; governmentNOUVELLE subhead.] postal, telephone, and telegraph administrations have led

the way. France Telecom, which has repeaters for lease for[Text] TDF1 is still waiting for customers, yet Astra is 30 million francs a year, is quick to point to the demon-being readied for launch with unleased capacity. Despite strations in which D2 Mac Paquet TV broadcasts weretheir promoters' optimism, these European satellites are captured by small-diameter antennas via its Telecom Icondemned to rely on government financial backing. satellite.

Eutelsat, which earns 75 percent of its operating reve-When Ariane blasts off again on Friday, 9 December, nues by transmitting TV services such as Sky Channel,Europe's first private direct TV broadcast satellite, TV 5, Super Channel, and RTL Plus, is finishing tech-Astra, will join TDFI in geostationary orbit. Many nical and financial development of its second generationwould like to see in this event the beginning of the Europesat direct TV broadcast satellites, scheduled forcommercial era for direct television broadcast satellites, launch beginning in 1995. They boast 120-watt repeatersHowever, economic reality threatens to be very differ- and will have up to 14 channels, with reconfiguration ofent. Like many new technologies, this first generation each beam according to demand. The goal is to makemay be condemned to rely on state financial backing. leasing one tenth as expensive.

We knew this was true of TDF1, whose experimental But between now and then Europe will have to face a dualbroadcasts (170 watts per 230-watt repeater) are a first threat from American programs and Japanese high-defini-success. Yet, a month after its launch, TDFI still has no tion TV. The industry feels that, given the stakes, govern-leasors despite promotional rates of 70 million francs a ment support of direct TV broadcast satellites is justified.

JPRS-TrP-89-00424 March 1989 15 WEST EUROPE

Thirteen European Satellites in Service by 1991

Country Launch Number and Power Costof Repeaters (Billions of Francs)

TDFI France October 1988 5 230 W Repeaters 3TDF2 and 1990(2 Satellites)

TV SAT FRG Mid 1987 5 230 W Repeaters 3*(I Satellite)

TELE-X Sweden Mid 1989 5 230 W Repeaters 1.5(I Satellite)

ASTRA Luxembourg December 1988 16 45 W Repeaters 1.3(2 Satellites) and European and 1991

Investors

BSB United Kingdom Late 1989 5 110 W Repeaters 6.5(2 Satellites) and British, French, and Late 1990

and AustralianInvestors

Eutelsat 2 Consortium of Beginning 1990 16 50 W Repeaters 3.5(4 Satellites) 26 European

Postal, Telegraph,and TelephoneAdministrations

Olympus European Space Mid 1989 2 230 W Repeaters 3(1 Satellite) Agency

*Includes TV SAT 1, which broke down after launch in late 1987.

EC Commission Adopts Decisions on ONP, The two measures are important steps forward in imple-Services menting the proposals set out in the Commission's GreenAN890068 Brussels EC INFORMATION MEMO Paper on the development of the common market forin English No P-147 Dec 88 pp 1-3 telecommunications services and equipment published in

1987. The central concept of the Green Paper is to intro-[Report: "The Commission Adopts Two Important duce greater competition in the telecommunications sec-Decisions in the Field of Telecommunications"] tor.

[Text] The Commission has recently adopted two impor- Competition in the Services Markets

tant, complementary decisions regarding the gradual The first directive asks the member states to allowestablishment of an internal market in the field of competition in telecommunications services and followstelecommunications services: one to ensure compilance the same lines as the directive on terminals adopted onwith competition standards and the other to harmonize 16 May 1988.the conditions for access to the telecommunicationsnetworks, Open Network Provision (ONP). Article 90 of the Treaty prohibits the member states from

taking any measures contrary to competition and the freeFirstly, the Commission has adopted the broad outline movement of goods and services as regards the publicof a new Commission directive based on Article 90 of the undertakings and any others to which they grant special orTreaty in order to open the markets for telecommunica- exclusive rights. The Commission, which is the guardian oftions services up to competition. Secondly, it has the treaties, must, where appropriate, address directives toadopted a proposal for a Council directive, based on the member states setting out their specific obligations inArticle 1 00a, setting the framework for the application of situations in which the Commission would probably oth-harmonized conditions to open access to, and use of, the erwise have to initiate infringement proceedings under thepublic telecommunications infrastructure and services. Treaty rules.

JPRS-T'rP-89-00424 March 1989 16 WEST EUROPE

Restrictions on the use of the infrastructure made avail- between nationals of a member state and otherable to the suppliers of services by the PTTs in some nationals and must guarantee equality of access.member states and tariffs out of proportion to costs were • The ONP conditions must develop and be establishedrestricting the supply of telecommunications services. gradually. Emphasis must be placed on the develop-Over the past few years, there has been spectacular growth ment of harmonized tenders that are speciallyin this market, in particular as regards data transmission adapted to the value-added service supplied andservices, where an annual rate of 15 to 25 percent is available to all users.forecast following the removal of the legal restraints • The ONP conditions require the development of openreferred to in the directive. It is therefore essential to open network standards as part of an overall Communitythese services up to competition so that suppliers can tailor approach to European standards. The development ofthem to customer requirements at the lowest cost. harmonized ONP conditions will concern three main

sectors:The abolition of the exclusive rights granted to the PTTs, • -Existing technical interfaces must be used if possi-except those relating to the establishment of the network ble. Where new technical standards are necessary forand voice telephony, will enable other suppliers to ONP tenders, the European Telecommunicationsapproach users directly using circuits rented from the Standards Institute (ETSI) must be asked to draftPTTs and the legal barriers separating the national them in the light of the development of European andmarkets will thus be abolished, international standards.

0 -The definition of harmonized conditions of useThe Commission does not plan to include the telex which must apply to ONP tenders and which concernservice in the directive since its use is currently declining a number of parameters such as the provision time,following the development of telefax. It therefore contractual period, service quality, conditions forrequires a specific approach. shared use, use by third parties, resale of capacity and

interconnection of networks, which must be compat-The directive will also ask the member states at the same ible with the Treaty rules.time to abolish all restrictions on the processing of • -The definition of harmonized tariff principlessignals before transmission within the network and to based on a number of guidelines such as cost adjust-publish all of the technical specifications relating to their ment to costs, sufficiently wide publication and thenetworks to enable suppliers in the member states to application to all users without discrimination.adapt to them. The ultimate aim of the Commission's initiative is theThe member states will therefore have to separate the mutual recognition of authorization procedures so thatregulatory powers of the PTTs from their commercial an authorization obtained in one member state entitles aactivities to prevent them from thwarting the supply of supplier of services to operate throughout the Commu-services by competitors or raising its cost. nity without having to submit to any other procedures.

The liberalization of the telecommunications servicesThe directive will also ask the PTTs to enable t will specifically concern the value-added services such ascustomers to terminate long-term contracts concluded at those to improve telecommunications functions (pro-a time when they had exclusive rights, thus enabling the tocol conversion, code formatting), the information ser-users, if they so wish, to turn to other suppliers, vices which provide access to databanks, remote data-

processing services, message recording and

The Commission directive will also apply to agreements retransmission services (electronic mail), transactional

concluded between the PTTs themselves or between them services financial transactions, electronic commercial

and other undertakings and any plans these administra- seransfinand ransactions, seroic (tel

tions might have to embark upon new telecommunications ping, telebooking and remote control).activities. The member states will have to provide theCommission with regular information so that it can check The Commission will start consultations with the mem-that any such agreements or new activities do not pose a ber states in January 1989 in order that the outcome ofthreat to competition in this sector. the consultations and a proposed directive for final

adoption can be presented in mid-March.Rules Governing the Future Use of Networks (ONP) RACE Follow-Up Program Described

The ONP directive lays down the guiding principles and AN890054 Amsterdam COMPUTABLE in Dutch

the structural framework within which the suppliers of 18 Nov 88 pp 14-15

telecommunications services may have access to and use [Article by Yvette Cramer: "RACE Initiates Networkthe public network. The Commission approach may be Services Study Leading to an ISDN Action Plan Begin-summarized as follows: ning in 1990"]

* The harmonized conditions for ONP must be based [Text] Next year, the RACE [R&D in Advanced Coin-on objective criteria, be transparent and published in munications Technologies in Europe] Directorate of DGa suitable manner. They must not discriminate XIII (for Telecommunications, Information Industries,

JPRS-TTP-89-00424 March 1989 17 WEST EUROPE

and Innovation) will commission a preliminary study on literature in the field of integrated services. A budget willRISE [R&D on Integrated Service Engineering]. The obviously also be drawn up. "On the basis of the prelim-study should result in an action plan extending beyond inary study, a schedule will be drawn up to take effect by1990 and focusing on broadband network services. DG the end of 1990 at the earliest," says Dr Cand N.P.F. deXIII considers RISE a follow-up program to RACE. Waard from the EC Liaison Office.

The proposal for the RISE project's preliminary study Since the RISE project is still in an embryonic stage,states: "The development of future services is compli- little is known so far about budgets, number of partici-cated by the lack of some essential information, whereas pants, and man-years. The preliminary study is slated todecisions regarding major systems and investments are start on 9 January 1989, and the results should be readyimminent." One way of finding out which services are for publication by the end of that year.required and to what extent is to ask present users whatfuture services they would like. However, "experienceshows that such surveys are unreliable and provide EC Advisers Issue 'Strategic Audit' of RACEinadequate justification for major investments and pol- AN890086 Brussels EC PRESS RELEASE in Englishicy decisions." The RACE Directorate is therefore con- No IP(89) 49, 3 Feb 89 pp 1-3sidering a different approach.

[Report: "First Strategic Plan for Advanced Communi-The principal issues in the preliminary phase of the RISE cations for Europe in the 1990's"]project are the definition of broadband network servicesand the study of the technologies needed to implement [Text] EC Commission Vice President Pandolfi, responsi-them. The future broadband digital networks-also ble for research and telecommunications, yesterdayreferred to as broadband ISDN [Integrated Services Digi- stressed that effective, advanced communications will betal Network]-will support not only telephone, telex, tele- essential for European business competitivity, employ-fax, and data traffic, but also video image transmission, for ment and prosperity in the 1990s and beyond. Advancedexample. Since it is difficult to anticipate how the services communications will also open up new possibilities in suchwill develop, the RISE project will adopt the so-called areas as education, health care, cultural and leisure activ-"Services Primitives" [Basic Services] approach. These are ities.standard modules that can be combined to create a varietyof services covering the different types of communication. Mr Pandolfi was speaking at the presentation of the firstIndeed, the RISE initiators feel it is easier to make reliable report of a series of strategic audits of the situation inprognoses based on generic features, characteristics, and Europe for the development of advanced communica-functions that will constitute future services than to antic- tions, carried out in the framework of the Europeanipate ready-made integrated services that will eventually Commission's RACE programme.be available.

Practically all EC and EFTA [European Free-TradeIntricate and Demanding Association] telecommunication administrations and

telematic equipment manufacturers have joined togetherThe RISE initiators adopted this rather abstact approach in the framework of the Community's RACE pro-because it readily allows them to compile a list of gramme [Research in Advanced Communications Tech-features required-for video transmission, for instance. nologies in Europe], aimed at providing Europe rapidlyIt should also be possible to define technical and func- and efficiently with advanced telecommunications ser-tional specifications for unspecified services. The RISE vices. The work in RACE will help to clarify techno-proposal says that the technical elaboration of the Ser- economic options but needs to be complemented byvices Primitives concept will be "extremely intricate and strategic analyses. Therefore, when RACE was officiallydemanding" in the light of the integrated and open launched on 14 December 1987, it was decided to carrycommunications systems of the late 1990's. In DG-XIII out annual Strategic Audits of developments incircles, RISE is considered a follow-up program to advanced communications and their implications.RACE. However, whereas RACE concentrates mainlyon the development of new technologies needed for a The first such Strategic Audit has now been completed.European-wide broadband communications network, It has concentrated on global objectives and priorities,RISE will focus on "integrated services" (sometimes taking into account political, social, economic, technicalreferred to as value-added network services). and industrial developments and the evolution of

demand for advanced telecommunications.0)Invitation

The audit has identified key issues in the establishmentThe RACE Directorate has invited a limited number of of advance communications in Europe and formulated aEuropean companies to participate in the prelimiary set of recommendations for action by governments, thestudy. The final selection is due by the end of the month. European Commission, telecommunication administra-The participants will have to make a systematic over- tions, European industries, telecommunications serviceview of both currently available techniques and existing providers and standardization organisations.

JPRS-TrP-89-00424 March 1989 18 WEST EUROPE

The set of recommendations constitutes the first com- and techniques for verification and testing of communica-prehensive strategic plan for the establishment of tions equipment and service functions by the end of 1989.advanced communications in Europe and will providethe basis for debate on the very important and wide- G. European standardization bodies should reinforceranging issues related to regulatory frameworks, invest- and coordinate their efforts towards international stan-ment strategies and technical options. dardization for IBC and advanced services. A standard-

ization schedule should be established by mid-1989,Summary of Recommendations for Action particularly for ATM (asynchronous transfer mode).(2)

The introduction of advanced broadband communica- H. Member-states should address the problem of fre-tions will provide potentially enormous benefits to quency allocation in Europe over the whole range ofEurope. However, these can only be realised through frequencies and applications. They should permit, byinnovative services relying on a new generation of ter- 1992, a rationalization of frequency allocations reflect-minal facilities and infrastructures. This large-scale ing evolving needs and priorities.deployment of new technologies and services willinvolve a major investment programme by telecommu-nications administrations, businesses and individuals ofabout ECU 500 billion over a decade. Footnotes

While R&D cooperation has been successfully estab- 1. The Strategic Audit has been carried out by sevenlished in the framework of RACE, it is considered that experienced advisors acting in an independent, personalfurther action is now needed both in the industrial and capacity:regulatory areas to exploit the results for the benefit ofEurope's telecommunications users. 0 John Alvey, a senior UK telecommunications advisor

a Jose Vlana Baptista, president of the PortugueseThe following further actions are recommended for Telecommunications Administrationconsideration: 0 John Barret, director of the RACE industrial consor-

tium responsible for RACE consensus managementA. National governments should collaborate to define by - Basilio Catania, general manager of CSELT [Tele-1992 the conditions and regulatory provisions which communications Laboratory and Study Center] inshould be applied to the introduction of pan-European Italyadvanced communications services. * Jozef Cornu, executive vice president, Alcatel

• Jacques Dondoux, president of IREST [Institute ofB. Telecommunications, broadcasting and cable TV Economic and Social Research into Telecommunica-administrations should propose, by mid-1989, a con- tions), formerly director of the DGT in Francecerted approach to, and a timetable for, development 0 Dietrich Elias, former state secretary and president ofand use of IBC infrastructures for both telecommunica- DETECON in the FRG.tions and entertainment services, including HDTV (highdefinition television), taking full advantage of private- 2. ATM is a switching and transmission technique thatsector investment initiatives when appropriate, allows flexible use of transmission capacity.

C. Telecommunications administrations should preparean initial memorandum of understanding by 1990 on Contracts Signed on Second Phase of RACEcloser collaboration in their intra-European long-dis- AN890083 Brussels EC PRESS RELEASE in Englishtance links and operations. No IP(89) 51, 3 Feb 89 p 1

D. Service providers should specify, by the end of 1990,a first set of service requirements, commercial condi- [Report: "RACE: Forty New Contracts Signed"]tions and regulatory provisions which would favour anearly and widespread use of IBC services.

[Text] The EC Commission has signed contracts for theE. Telecommunications, broadcasting and cable TV launching of a second set of projects within the Com-administrations, service providers and the telematics munity's RACE programme. RACE is concerned withindustry should agree on a memorandum of understanding Research and Development on Advanced Communica-by mid-1989 to complement the collaborative R&D in tions for Europe and will contribute to the developmentRACE by pilot implementation of some IBC services on a of Integrated Broadband Communications (IBC)European scale for a business-led introduction of IBC by throughout the EC. 1995 is the target date for commer-1992. cial introduction of IBC services. These will offer Euro-

pean businesses and individuals the information infra-F. Collaborative R&D should be extended to include inte- structure and services essential for effective competitiongrated service engineering, fixed and mobile applications in the emerging information-based economy.

JPRS-TTP-89-00424 March 1989 19 WEST EUROPE

Forty new projects have been selected from over 80 To ensure as rapid an availability as possible of fourproposals submitted by international consortia in operational EUTELSAT II satellites, Aerospatiale,response to a Call for Proposals published in July 1988. prime contractor for the programme, has agreed toThese new projects are complementary to the 48 RACE accelerate the delivery of EUTELSAT II-F3 and subse-projects that started in January 1988. The established quent flight units. As a result, a network of four EUTEL-projects cover the strategic planning and specifications SAT II satellites will be commercially operational by thefor Integrated Broadband Communications (Part I of end of 1991. The first is scheduled for launch in springRACE) and provide a sound technology base (Part II of 1990 and the following satellites will be launched at sixRACE). The new projects focus on integration of tech- month intervals.nologies and systems, the verification and testing ofconcepts and systems and pilot applications of future In addition, EUTELSAT has authorised Aerospatiale toIBC services in key industries, build the hardware necessary to provide a specially

tailored Superbeam coverage of Turkey on a furtherApplications will be developed in banking and finance, EUTELSAT II satellite. The Turkish authorities havemedia and publishing, manufacturing, transport, distri- confirmed reservation for five transponders with thisbution and health care. A total of 20 different applica- Superbeam coverage, plus a sixth transponder withtions are covered. They will investigate and demonstrate Superbeam coverage over Central Europe. This networkthe enormous potential of Integrated Broadband Com- is expected to start operating in early 1992.munications for industrial competitiveness and in newways of distributing work. In addition, a "European A decision to procure EUTELSAT II-F5 is expected toMuseum Network" will investigate the potential of be taken by the EUTELSAT Board of Signatories in theadvanced communications in strengthening the cultural forthcoming weeks, and no later than the end of Febru-links within Europe. Two projects will focus on meeting ary 1989. It is expected to be followed by an order for F6the needs of the elderly and disabled in the design of towards the end of 1989.future IBC systems and applications.

With the signature of contracts, 190 new companies and Eutelsat To Develop Second-Generation TVorganisations have been added to the list of 187 already Satellites; Funds Allocatedinvolved in the RACE programme. They include leading-edge users of advanced communications in all the keyindustrial sectors as well as equipment manufacturers, Europesat Projecttelecommunication network operators and service provid- AN890011 Paris TELEMA TIQUE MAGAZINEers. in French Oct 88 p 7

With the new projects, over 90 percent of the RACE [Article: "Europesat-Television Programs on Request"]budget of ECU 1.1 billion (50 percent from the ECbudget and 50 percent from partners) will be allocated. [Text] Although no European broadcast direct satellite is

operational yet, Europe is preparing the second genera-tion of this type of satellite. In fact, the engineers who

EUTELSAT Decides on 6-Satellite Network work for Eutelsat, the European TelecommunicationsAN890074 Chichester EURO-TELECOM in English Satellite Organization, have recently developed the sat-13 Jan 8 9 p 4 ellites that will replace such satellites as TDF 1 and TDF

2, TV-SAT, Tele-X, BSB, and Astra in 1995. This[Article: "EUTELSAT To Provide Six-Satellite Opera- project, dubbed "Europesat," will be submitted to thetion"] 26-member countries of Eutelsat in the fall in order for

them to examine the proposed implementation schedule[Text] At a meeting of the Board of Signatories of the as well as the system characteristics as designed by AndreEuropean Telecommunications Satellite Organisation Causo, general manager of Eutelsat.(EUTELSAT) it has been decided that the Organisationwill provide a network based on at least six operational Today, the Europesat project involves three orbitingsatellites in order to satisfy existing and anticipated satellites, including one back-up satellite. Operatingdemands for protected satellite capacity in Europe. from the same orbital position (at 36,000 km above the

equator), they provide global coverage of the EutelsatThe first four EUTELSAT II second-generation medi- member countries.um-power satellites will take over and extend the oper-ation of the four EUTELSAT I satellites currently in Each satellite is to consist of 14 channels and a certainorbit. By the time they are in orbit, two EUTELSAT I number of beams overlapping the downlink to satisfysatellites (FI and F2) will have reached the end of their regional and linguistic requirements.lives. The remaining two operational EUTELSAT Isatellites (F4 and F5) will continue to be used during a In order to ensure maximum flexibility, Europesat'stransitional period. capacity should be reconfigurable in orbit by remote

JPRS-TIrP-89-00424 March 1989 20 WEST EUROPE

ground control, allowing the number of channels allo- An initial 175-million-guilder grant had already beencated to each beam to be modified on demand. Thus, the committed to Eutelsat in 1986.user would be able to change the assignment of eachchannel without having to lease the channel on a perma-nent basis. This should make a channel's rental fee 8 to CANADA10 times less expensive than the current rate and shouldmake it possible to reach the maximum number of usersdepending on the time of day. CNCP in New Bid To Offer Long-Distance

ServiceOf course, Europesat satellite transmissions will be able 55200021 Toronto THE GLOBE AND MAILto be received by small-diameter antennae and broadcast in English 2 7 Jan 89 p B3with high definition for exceptional picture quality onthe television sets of tomorrow. [Article by Angela Barnes]

EIB Funding [Text] CNCP Telecommunications plans to re-apply toAN890055 Amsterdam COMPUTER WORLD in Dutch the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunica-1 Nov 88 p 7 tions Commission for permission to offer public long-

distance telephone services.[Article by Jan Schils: "EIB Funding for Eutelsat"]

CNCP, which was rebuffed in 1985 on its first bid to crack[Text] The European Investment Bank (EIB) has just the telephone companies' monopoly on the $6-billion toannounced that it will allocate ECU 100 million (234 7-billion a year long-distance business, has been soundingmillion Dutch guilders) for the next 7 years to Eutelsat, out federal government officials. It expects to file itsthe European Telecommunications Satellite Organiza- application in the next six to nine months.tion.

"There have been ongoing discussions with the Depart-Eutelsat is an intergovernmental European organiza- ment of Communications, which lead us to the conclusiontion--existing provisionally since 1977 and effectively that the time is now appropriate for Canadian consumerssince September 1985 with its headquarters in Paris. It is to benefit from long-distance competition," said Georgein charge of operating the space segment used by a set of Harvey, president of the Toronto-based company.regional European telecommunications satellites servingthe 26 member-states, including the 12 EC countries. "Canadian business is clamoring for (long-distance com-

petition) because their telecom costs are 50 to 60 per centReplacement higher than in the United States, even after conversion of

the dollar," he said. "If you want to compete against theThe present (first) generation of Eutelsat satellites will be U.S., with or without free trade, and if your third-largestoperational until 1990/1994. The second-generation sat- expense ratio is 50 per cent higher than your competi-ellites, which will gradually replace the former as of late tors, then you have got a problem."1989, will have a far greater capacity. This will enableEutelsat to cope with the increasing demand for both The opening of the U.S. market roughly five years agointernational and national telecommunications links brought reductions in long-distance rates there.throughout Europe.

CNCP also thinks a large proportion of the CanadianEutelsat-which came about as a result of the coopera- public favors competition in public long-distance ser-tion between European telecommunications organiza- vices, and says its views are backed by research. Further-tions and the space industry-provides satellite commu- more, the company has changed its operations to putnications offering better services to European industry, itself in a better position to provide such services.Indeed, the use of satellites will provide upgraded net-work facilities more adapted to industry's requirements The CRTC rejected the CNCP application in August,than those of the current network. 1985, because of concerns about the viability of the

planned long-distance service. But it also left open theMoreover, the new generation of satellites will be able to door to future applications.handle massive television program exchanges throughthe use of cable television. Finally, the manufacture of The company also may have been encouraged by severalthese satellites will boost the implementation of recent CRTC decisions that can be interpreted as anadvanced technologies, indication that the commission will permit more com-

petition in telecommunications services.Considering the major significance of the project in

various respects, the EIB Board of Governors (the Mr Harvey said CNCP's entry into the long-distancefinance ministers of the 12 EC countries) has granted the market in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia wouldEIB special authorization to participate in its financing, mean lower rates and, therefore, lower monthly phone

JPRS-TrP-89-00424 March 1989 21 WEST EUROPE

bills for most consumers and businesses. He said the only Tasks Facing Bureau Successor at CRTCcustomers who would not benefit are those who do not Outlineduse long-distance. 55200020 Toronto THE TORONTO STAR in English

I Feb 89 pp Dl, D2The battle lines are being drawn up for an expectedCRTC hearing on the application. [Article by Adam Mayers]

Bell Canada, a unit of BCE Inc. of Montreal, and BritishColumbia Telephone Co. of Burnaby, B.C., are sure to [Text] The incoming chairman of the federal agency thatoppose the CNCP proposal-it is their territory CNCP regulates broadcasting and telecommunications willplans to invade. When told of CNCP's intentions, Char- have his hands full from the first day on the job.lie Labarge, vice-president of Bell Canada, said: "BellCanada is not necessarily convinced that competition in As Ottawa ponders a replacement for Andre Bureau,the long-distance market is in the public interest." Stud- industry insiders and lobby groups have a shopping listies have indicated it may not be, he said. of issues they say will dominate the agenda of the

Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Com-The Consumers Association of Canada also intends to mission in the near future.oppose CNCP in the public hearing. "We will opposetheir application unless they have performed some magic Some are as pressing as whether to permit competition inact and can show us that most residential customers and the long-distance telephone business, or how to keep themost businesses will not be worse off," said David CRTC free of cabinet interference.McKendry, director of CAC's regulated industries pro- Others are longer-term problems, including whether togram. permit cable television companies to transmit data or

The CAC thinks telephone company revenues will carry telephone conversations on their coaxial cables.decline if competition is allowed in public long distance, Bureau took the broadcasting industry by surprise yes-and the companies will raise local rates to compensate. terday when he announced he'll step down March I forThat, in turn, would increase monthly phone bills. personal reasons. His seven-year term at the helm of the

federal body was not up until November, 1990.And officials of provinces where there are government-

owned telephone companies will want their say. If Bell "Andre Bureau had many strengths, among them that heand B.C. Telephone long-distance revenues fall because understood the issues, the system and the industry, saidof competition, the provincial phone companies will see Phil Lind, senior vice-president of programming andtheir income cut because of revenue-sharing arrange- planning at Rogers Communications Inc. "You can betments on long-distance business through Telecom Can- there will be a lot of thought put to his replacement."ada.

Spokesman say Bureau's resignation came as a surpriseThose groups have as ammunition a number of studies and most were reluctant to speculate on a successor. Theon competition in the Canadian long-distance market, position will be filled by the Prime Minister on thethe latest of which was done for the federal-provincial recommendation of Communications Minister Marceltask force on telecommunications. A Peat Marwick Masse.study cited in the task force report, released in Decem-ber, suggested that only 13 per cent of urban residential Two names that cropped up are former communicationscustomers and 15 per cent of rural customers in Bell minister Flora Macdonald, defeated in the last federalCanada territory would pay less in monthly phone election, and University of Toronto professor Hudsoncharges if there were alternative suppliers of long-dis- Janish, an expert on telecommunications regulations.tance services.

No matter who fills the job, here are the issues to beCNCP argues that the Peat Marwick study is seriously faced:flawed. For example, the study works from the assump-tion that the telephone companies would not cut rates. -Concentration of broadcast ownership.Mr Harvey maintains they would, and that ensures Belland B.C. Telephone's customers will benefit from lower "Bureau believed there should be a strong Canadianlong-distance rates as well as those who choose to switch presence on the airwaves and he allowed further concen-to CNCP. tration of ownership to create that," said Janet Yale,

legal counsel for the Consumers Association of Canada.CNCP is wholly owned by Canadian Pacific Ltd. of "He had a vision, but it came at the expense of consum-Montreal. It expects to be able to capture between 10 and ers."20 per cent of the long-distance market with lower ratesover two to three years. -Further deregulation of cable television.

JPRS-TI'P-89-00424 March 1989 22 WEST EUROPE

Cable companies are permitted to increase their rates Should their annual rate increase be based on calcula-each year by 80 percent of inflation without CRTC tions of revenues and expenses and weeks of agonizingapproval. Yale said there should be a review of that public hearings, or a simple percentage increase set byprocess to see how it's working. the CRTC?

"Just because the consumer price index goes up doesn't -Cablephone.mean that the cost of providing cable service is going upby the same amount," she said. Should cable companies be permitted to carry telephone

conversations or data now carried over phone lines?Phil Lind of Rogers said those increases are the only part Should telephone companies provide cable, and howof the business not closely controlled by the CRTC. would it be regulated? With fibre optics, the issue is

becoming more pressing."We have a very mild form of deregulation," he said. "That's still a long way off but it's coming," said Rogers"Everything else has to go to a public hearing." Lind. "I think these sorts of skirmishes should be encour-

-Long-distance telephone competition. aged because they lead to lower prices."

--Balkan ization of policy.CNCP Telecommunications plans to apply later this

year for the right to compete with Bell Canada for Ontario, Quebec and British Columbian telephone sys-long-distance service. CNCP says the competition will tems are controlled by the CRTC. Other systems fallmake long distance cheaper. Consumers groups say it under provincial jurisdictions.could make it more expensive.

"We have a splintered approach and we would like to see"The reality is that a second long-distance service a truly national CRTC," said CNCP's Schmidt.doesn't stand alone," Yale said. "Regulators have todecide whether they want new competition at a cost of -The new Broadcast Act.increased rates for local calls."

Introduced by Flora Macdonald, the bill is beingJoe Schmidt, CNCP's vice-president of regulations and reworked. It intends to add Canadian content to broad-government matters, doesn't see it that way. He said a casting as well as see new regulations for the cablerecent federal-provincial study of long-distance rates industry and the CRTC.shows that local calls won't necessarily rise.

"That's the argument of monopolies," he said. "We FINLANDwould like to see it opened up."

Private Firm Applies To Compete With State-Cabinet power over the CRTC. Mobile Phone Net

55002442a Helsinki HELSINGIN SANOMA TThe cabinet wants the power to direct CRTC policy, in Finnish 6 Jan 89 p 25Currently, the cabinet can appeal CRTC decisions, butafter the fact and often too late. [Article: "Private Firm Radiolinja Applied for a Licence

To Join the GSM-Net"; first paragraph is HELSINGIN"Bureau opposed this move," said Ken Engelhart, legal SANOMAT introduction]counsel for the Canadian Business TelecommunicationsAlliance. "The effect of the power of direction is to [Text] The Cabinet will discuss the new mobile phoneensure that policy is made by elected officials and net in the spring.implemented by the CRTC. Radiolinja Ltd, established by the initiative of private

"The fear is that it will make the CRTC too political." telephone companies, applied for a mobile phone license"from the Ministry of Traffic. The company's goal is tobuild a mobile phone net to compete with the Post and

--Rate rebalancing. Telecommunications Administration [PTL].

Bell wanted to cut its long-distance rates and raise rates The licensing application is in its first round. Thefor local calls, which are subsidized by the higher long- Ministry of Traffic has requested eight expert opinionsdistance rates. The CRTC let Bell cut the long-distance by the beginning of February.charges but then decided that because of excess profit-ability, local calls could not be raised for now. A statement was requested from, among others, the PTL,

who already had written a memorandum opposing the-How the phone companies should be regulated. idea of a private mobile phone net.

JPRS-TTP-89-00424 March 1989 23 WEST EUROPE

The Ministry of Traffic intends to present the licensing Nokia To Buy Mobile Phone Microcircuits Fromapplication in March-April to the government, which U.S. Firmwill make the final decision. 55002442b Helsinki HELSINGIN SANOMAT

in Finnish 19 Jan 89 p 38Radiolinja is seeking a license to build and run a nation-wide mobile phone net. The company would like to firststart building around the capital. The net would be [Text] Nokia-Mobira will buy microcircuits for gsm-extended gradually to the rest of the country. standard digital mobile phones from AT&T [American

Telephone & Telegraph].Radiolinja plans to build a general European gsm-net.The gsm-net is digital and capable of transmitting con- In the early 1990's, gsm-mobile phone traffic will start insiderably more calls than the current analog NMT- all of Europe. Mobira's current analog mobile phones do[Nordic Mobile Telephone] nets. not use circuits manufactured by AT&T. The company is

planning to use other than AT&T-manufactured micro-The PTL is also planning to build a nationwide gsm-net. circuits in their gsm-phones.Together with other Nordic telecommunications offices,

the PTL has already ordered a gsm-testing system fromthe American company Motorola. For the analog mobile phones, Nokia is buying compo-

nents from the Philippines, from Motorola, and fromJoint Company Discussed several Japanese companies, among others.

Minister of Traffic Pekka Vennamo (Finnish Rural Nokia-Mobira considers the present signed agreement ofParty) has not yet expressed his opinion regarding a cooperation a strategically important one. The companyprivate mobile phone net. is not willing to estimate its monetary value.

After hearing about the founding of Radiolinja in Sep- Mobira's director of research, Heikki Huttunen, sizes uptember, the Ministry's chief secretary, Juhani Korpela, the situation: "Only a few giants have available thestated that "double systems make no sense in this technology required for the digital phones."country."

The Ministry of Traffic has considered the idea that the Nokia's Micronas manufactures microcircuits, but thePTL in cooperation with the private sector would build Finnish company "was not even a realistic alternativethe gsm-net. The cooperation would be in the form of a for AT&T at the moment," Huttunen continues.joint company with shares.

The so called cmos-technology is applied in manufactur-The founders of Radiolinja announced in September ing gsm-circuits.that they could sell mobile phone calls for as much as 50percent less than the PTL. According to them, the PTLcurrently overcharges for the mobile phone calls. AT&T is the world's leading telecommunications firm.

Nokia-Mobira is the world's largest manufacturer ofAccording to the PTL, the NMT 900 telephone fees in mobile phones. Its market share is about 14 percent.Finland are among the cheapest in Europe. From thebeginning of the year the PTL lowered the rates for NMT450 net to be at the average European level. Before these Finland First Nordic Country To Use X400changes the rates for 450 net were above the European Serviceaverage. 55002442c Helsinki HELSINGIN SANOMA T

in Finnish 19 Jan 89 p 8Wide Support for Radiolinja

The idea for the founding of Radiolinja was born in the [Text] On Wednesday in Jyvaskyla the director generalcountry's largest private phone company, that is, in Hel- of the Post and Telecommunications Administrationsinki's Phone Company (HPY). The HPY has summoned [PTL] announced that Finland is the first Nordic coun-wide support for the project to win the political approval, try planning to use X400 teleservice. X400 standards

define the way in which different computers can com-In addition to the HPY, the owners of Radiolinja include municate with each other.five other regional phone companies, four central firmsof trade, five banks, and five insurance companies. Telebox users, Memo companies, HPDesk-systems, and

soon even Elisa electronic mail users can communicateKesko's director general, Eero Utter, is the chairman of with each other through the PTL service. The servicethe supervisory board, and HPY's director general, named Mailnet 400 will immediately have over 50,000Jarmo Kalm, is the chairman of the board. users in Finland.

JPRS-TTP-89-00424 March 1989 24 WEST EUROPE

Public Data Network To Undergo Testing The national Board of Postal Service and Telecommunica-55002433b Helsinki HELSINGIN SANOMA T tions (PTL) promises that construction of the NMT net-in Finnish 19 Dec 88 p 17 work will continue just as vigorously next year and that the

network's service standard will improve. The NMT-450[Article: "Public Data Network To Be Tested Next network's newest center-the most advanced in the NordicYear"] countries-began operating in Tampere in November.

[Text] A plan for testing the public data network and the There are now 88,000 users of the NMT-450 network, but,citizens' data station will be completed in February. At according to the PTL, there is still room for a hundredleast 20 services suitable for broad use may be included thousand more. The network's capacity, or radio fre-in the test. The goal is to find the key services on which quency (450 megahertz), is already full in the Helsinkiit would be possible to base the network's activity, region. Use of the NMT-900 network has increased rapidly

in the densely populated part of Finland.The planned data network consists of users' worksta-tions, service stations, and data bases as well as the local The NMT-900 covers the key areas of trade, industry,networks, data transfer links, and telephone/data trans- and tourism. By the end of 1990, it will also cover thefer centers that unite them. most important routes in Lapland.

In practice, a citizen could receive on his home computer There are three mobile phone networks in Finland:terminal information about train schedules or about NMT-450, NMT-900, and the manual ARP. The manualwhat is on the day's menu. Closed data networks already network expanded nationwide about 10 years ago. Thefunction in several business firms and groups of business NMT-900 network is being augmented all the time, but itfirms, and data networks open to the general public are is estimated that the NMT-450 will be even more inclu-also in operation. sive by the turn of the century.

So the technical know-how and other prerequisites for a The European GSM mobile phone network, whose com-public data network already exist. However, implemen- mercial activity begins in mid-1991, is being developedtation of the network requires planning and testing by through the cooperation of Europe's telecommunica-means of which the network's services and service stan- tions institutes.dards are defined.

Seven hundred million Finnmarks have been invested inDuring a preliminary study launched last spring, the the NMT-450 network, which covers the entire country.Ministry of Communications managed to clarify domestic Customers have invested roughly 1.5 billion Finnmarks invideotex and telecommunications network services and mobile phones. The PTL predicts there will be 600,000become familiar with the system that functions in France. subscribers to mobile phones at the turn of the century.The services needed by and offered to schools, households,government agencies, and small businesses were made Along with the other Nordic lands, Finland is one of theclear. Seminars are also being arranged to clarify goals. world's leading countries in mobile phones. There are

more than half a million subscribers to NMT in theThe test that begins next year has aroused interest in Nordic countries.various parts of the country, and several municipalitiesand organizations have already signed up for it. FRANCE

NMT-450 Mobile-Phone Network OperationalNationwide Aerospatiale To Furnish More Entelsat Satellites55002433a Helsinki HELSINGIN SANOMA T 55002441 Paris QUOTIDIEN DE PARISin Finnish 14 Dec 88 p 23 in French21-22 Jan 89 p 13

[Article: "NMT-450 Network To Cover Entire Country"] [Text] European Telecommunications Satellite Organi-zation (Eutelsat) has just signed a contract with Aerospa-

[Text] The NMT-450 mobile-phone network has tiale for accelerated delivery of four medium-powerexpanded in practice to include the entire country, now Eutelsat II satellites. The contract means that, by 1991,that the network has been installed in the area covered Eutelsat will be able to complete its network of fourby Lapland Province. At the same time, Finland Eutelsat II satellites, which will join the two Eutelsat Iexceeded the limit of 100,000 NMT mobile-phone users. satellites still in operation at that time.

Roughly a thousand new channels and well over a hundred The first Eutelsat II will be delivered at year end and issupport stations have been built into the network this year. scheduled for launch in early spring 1990. The remainingAltogether, approximately 450 support stations operate in launches will take place a 6-month intervals and willthe network, and phone calls are transmitted by about provide 64 50-watt repeaters to distribute television3,500 channels in different parts of the country. broadcasts throughout Europe.

JPRS-TrP-89-00424 March 1989 25 WEST EUROPE

Next February Eutelsat plans to order a fifth Eutelsat II The processing of video signals in digital form hasfrom Aerospatiale under the same accelerated-delivery several applications, among which are the following:conditions, which will mean that it can be ready forlaunch by mid 1992, according to the press release. • Transmission of still images at 64 kbit/s;

0 Processing video signals for direct television trans-Eutelsat, which is made up of 26 European countries, mission by satellite (D2-MAC);currently operates four communications satellites broad- • Improved image quality in terminals (image memory,casting radio, television, business service, and telephone 100-Hz screening, etc.).signals.

PORTUGALCommunications Minister on TDF SatelliteLD2101201489 Paris Domestic Service New Digital Telephone System for Azoresin French 1800 GMT 21 Jan 89 55002450 Lisbon DIARIO DE NOTICIAS ECONOMIA

[Text] At the MIDEM [International Record and Music in Portuguese 30 Jan 89 p 2Industry Fair] in Cannes today, Roland Faure, the chair- [Excerpts] PTT investments in the Azores this year willman and managing director of Radio France, officially come to about 2.3 million contos, Mauricio de Chaves,presented the public service's three-point radio plan for regio abor of miion, aunced.the TDF-1 satellite: one stereo music channel, one cul- regional director of coordination, announced.tural channel, and a news channel-France-Info Interna- The largest allocations will be invested in automatictionale. With the decision by the future broadcasting networks and station and in the installation of the digitalauthority still awaited, Communications Minister Jack central office at Ponta Delgada, which will be initiated inLang said he is captivated by the plan. the second half of this year.

[Begin Lang recording] It is very exciting. The sound The PTT will move from a predominantly analog systemquality is exceptional; the compact disc stereo quality is in 1988 to a system with 25 percent digital switching linesadmirable. Sometimes it is true than when we talk about and 66 percent digital transmission circuits in 1990.direct broadcasting by satellite we tend to think abouttelevision programs and forget radio programs. As you In this regard, Mauricio de Chaves added that by 1995know, the Germans are also in the running for access to all the islands of the Azores will have digital stations,the TDF-I satellite, and I am very pleased that Radio contributing to a "substantial improvement in the qual-France has decided on transmission proposals and plans ity of service." [passage omitted]for France-Info Internationale, France-culture andFrance-Musique. And if our overall plan succeeds, it will Detailed billing and computerization are other undertak-make public service radio much stronger throughout ings included in the PTT plan of activities in the Azores.Europe and throughout the world. [end recording] [passage omitted]

French R&D on Digital Processing of VideoSignals UNITED KINGDOMAN890064 Paris FRENCH TECHNOLOGY SURVEYin English Nov 88 pp 6-7 Marconi To Investigate Laser Satellite Links

AN890075 Chichester EURO-TELECOM in English[Article: "Digital Video Signal Restitution"] 13 Jan 8 9 p 6

[Text] The French Telecommunications Research Cen- [Unattributed article: "Marconi Space Systems To Con-tre (CNET) and the Joint Centre for Telecommunica- duct Advanced Laser Systems Feasibility Study"]tions and Television Transmission Research (CCETT)have pooled their resources to develop a digital process- [Text] Britain's Marconi Space Systems Company is toing circuit for video signals. The technique consists in investigate the feasibility of using advanced laser systemsoversampling the signals so as to delete the need for as an alternative to microwave links for intersatelliteanalog post-filtering on the output from the DAC (Digi- communications. The study, contracted by MATRAtal/Analog Converter). ESPACE of France, represents an extension to the Euro-

pean Space Agency's SILEX program, for which Matra is aResearch into video processing circuits has a threefold prime contractor, and will probe the use of laser technol-aim: ogy as an additional package to the main SILEX baseline

program. The Marconi team will be supported by Standard"• Simplify filtering and dematrixing functions through Telecommunications Laboratories and Marconi Defence

digital technology; Systems as sub-contractors. Space communications links"° Eventually reduce filtering, dematrixing and DAC will be essential in the future to maintain continuous

functions to a single circuit; contact with low-earth-orbiting spacecraft such as space"* Make the use of analog video filters easier, station elements or earth observation satellites, to enable

JPRS-TTP-89-00424 March 1989 26 WEST EUROPE

the transfer to the ground of large quantities (100 Mb/s and thesuccessful working demonstration of a 1 km-long 2-20more) of data they generate. Laser communications offer GHz optical fiber cable-the first ultra-wideband opticalsignificant advantages over conventional microwave links fiber microwave link to be produced in Europe.in size and mass of hardware, plus their virtually unlimitedbandwidth and carrying capacity. This bandwidth has capacity for 3,000 television chan-nels, or for six million simultaneous telephone conver-

sations to travel the same strand of optical fiber. Allow-First Ultra-Wideband Fiber-Optic Microwave ing for such vastly increased telecommunications trafficLink Produced along a single cable makes the new system ideal forAN890088 Chichester EURO-TELECOM in English transmissions to and from remote antennae, and for10 Feb 8 9 p 8 broadcasting from satellite or high definition television.

[Article: "Marconi Produces Europe's First Ultra- Wide- The new link uses an external electro-optic modulator inband Fiber-Optic Microwave Link"] the transfer of information to the optical carrier. Devel-

oped at the GEC-Marconi Research Center, the new mod-[Text] From its Electro-Optics Division in Stanmore, ulator provides more accurate transmission than linksMiddlesex, Marconi Defence Systems has announced relying on directly modulated semiconductor lasers.

2 L6 1i:••' 44.

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